U.S. XPrize noncontenders dream big too. Astrobotic Technology is building lunar landers such as
Griffin (above) in a Pittsburgh warehouse that once was a steel-stamping plant. The firm pledges to “make
the moon accessible to the world,” selling MoonMail space, starting at $460, on its charter journey.
Germany The Audi Lunar Quattro rover (right), built by PT Scientists, sits on soil heated to 250°F and
under 1,000-watt lights that mimic lunar conditions. This rover isn’t an XPrize contender, but it may deliver
payloads of “personal, commercial, educational, scientific, or technological value” to the lunar surface.